Amid weeks of speculation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday named former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh's son Karan Bhushan Singh as its Lok Sabha candidate from the Kaiserganj seat in Uttar Pradesh. Brij Bhushan Saran Singh, who is currently facing criminal charges of sexually harassing women wrestlers, has been replaced.
Despite denying Brij Bhushan the ticket, the seat's contest however remained within the family.
As per a report by India Today, reacting to his son's candidature, Brij Bhushan said "The party is above me. I am not bigger than the party. I am happy with the party's decision and the public is happy too."
About Karan Bhushan Singh
Karan Bhushan Singh is the youngest son of Brij Bhushan Singh, who has won the Uttar Pradesh seat three times in a row. Back in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Brij Bhushan emerged victorious in the election from Kaiserganj by a margin of two lakh votes.
Karan Bhushan Singh currently is the president of the Uttar Pradesh wrestling association. He is also the president of the Cooperative Village Development Bank in Nawabganj, Gonda.
Brij Bhushan Singh facing sexual harassment allegation
Brij Bhushan Singh, the former Wrestling Federation of India president, stepped down amid a massive protest staged by the Indian wrestlers at Jantar Mantar. The Delhi Police has filed a charge sheet against him in court. However, he has denied all the charges.
BJP's Rae Bareli Candidate
Dinesh Pratap Singh, a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government, was the BJP's candidate from the Rae Bareli parliamentary seat in 2019 too.
Both seats are going to the polls in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election on May 20. The last date for filing nomination papers is May 3.
